This is one of my favorite pictures!

Blush: Brushes, Colors & Powder or Cream?

You want a healthy, natural colour?  Then let’s introduce you to my dear friend Blush.  Blush has the ability to bring a youthful dewy glow and is simple.  Apricot and pink blush colours are definitely my favourite.   When I want more of a dramatic effect, I’ll use a darker colour.  

I want to start off with brushes.  Attached is a picture of some of my favourite MAC Cosmetic brushes I use.  These five brushes are my BFF’s when it comes to applying blush.  The 109 Small Contour Brush is used on your face to apply, blend and/or contour powder products, it blends colour smoothly into your skin.  The 116 Blush Brush is perfect for shading and highlighting your cheeks and face.   The 129 Powder/Blush Brush is more of an all purpose brush that can be used with blush or face powder.  The 168 Large Angled Contour Brush picks up a perfect amount of product and helps contour your cheekbones.  The 182 Buffer Brush is my have to have tool.  It helps blend product into your skin.  I usually take the blush colour I plan on using and apply it first onto the cheek area with brush 182 and then take a blush shade a bit darker and apply it to cheekbones with a 168 brush for a more defined finish.

When selecting a colour, my best advice is look for a colour that matches your cheeks when they are flushed.  Take a look in the mirror after you’ve just come in from the cold or after exercising.  You’ll want blush to look natural.  With fair complexions try rose, olive complexions try peach and dark complexions try apricot.  Another trick when picking the right shade of blush is finding one that matches your lip colour.  Or simply just pinch your cheeks.

For best results, skin should be prepped and foundation applied. When applying blush, always start with less and then you can add more if needed.  Take your brush with blush on it and tap it at least twice to get rid of any excess blush.  Place the brush onto the apple of the cheekbones and blend backwards.  Stay 2 finger widths away from your nose and use the brush to blend backwards towards your hairline.  Sweep the brush back and forth on your cheek.  Make sure you look at what you’ve applied from all angles this way you’ll know it’s completely blended in and there are no visible edges.  Blush should not go below the bottom of your nose or any closer into the center of your face than the iris of your eye.  If you find that you look pale after you’ve applied blush to your cheeks you can also apply a small amount of blush to your forehead (where the sun normally hits the face).  Want to give your eyes sparkle?   Applying blush by your eyes helps.

Blush comes in powder, cream, liquid or gel form.  Powder blush is the most commonly used and is usually good for all skin types and easiest to apply.  Powder blush is best applied after face powder and is best for oily skin.  Cream blush provides a more intense shade than powder blush and should be used sparingly and blended well.  I would recommend applying cream blush with your fingers and it contains moisturizing ingredients which make it suitable for dry skin.  Always apply cream blush over foundation and before you use face powder.  Liquid or gel blush provides strong and concentrated colouring.  It lasts longer. Liquid blush helps aid a sheer glow to your face and is considered to work best with oily to normal skin.  Liquid blush dries fairly fast so it’s hard to spread onto dry skin.  Apply it over foundation or onto your bare skin.

For over applied powder blush, use a translucent powder on top to calm down the colour.  If cream blush is over applied, blot the colour off with a tissue.

Distillery Masks

These are mask chairs in Toronto's Distillery District.  I had to take a picture of them!

'Pretty City'

Took this picture on Polson Street, I heart my city!!!

Blog Suggestion Winner!!

RDBG held a blogging idea contest on our Facebook Fan Page and asked what you would like us to blog about next.  Amazing ideas were written on our wall and we thank each and every one of you for your suggestions. After we carefully went through each item written, we decided to go with Courtney Toffoli’s suggestion.  

Courtney wrote;

‘Blush so we don't have another lindsey lohan court disaster. So how to pick the right shades... what's better powder or cream...’

The Lindsey Lohan reference did give us quite a chuckle and we have to admit, who really wants to walk out of their house looking like a clown?  Hopefully (I’m crossing my fingers) you all feel the same way.  If it’s Halloween, you work as a clown, you just want to stand out in the crowd or whatever the case may be, sure then knock yourself out and go nuts with wearing blush.  If it makes you happy then no matter what anyone says just do it up! 

Thank you Courtney for your suggestion!  As promised, you get a free RDBG cut & style and we look forward to seeing you!

Coming up next: 'Blush: Brushes, Colors & Powder or Cream?'

Where you at R.A.G.E.?

I just realized that the last time I blogged was in June!  YIKES! 

I want to apologize for the time it took me to write this.  It does feel like forever since I last wrote to you and I plan on making up for loss time!

I have a few things going on that I'd like to share with you...

STAY TUNED...

All The Rage?!

There's not a day that goes by where someone doesn't ask me "Why Rage?". So time and time again, I reply "What do you mean?". Low and behold, I always get the same answer...  "But doesn't Rage mean something bad?". And so I respond "No, everyone has a little RAGE inside!". ;)

I'm dedicating this blog to all whom are wondering why I chose 'Rage'. Let me fill you in on why I feel that Rage is an important aspect in each and everyone of us. 

Rage, presumably, is interpreted negatively by most at first thought, however there are many definitions... Following are two that I'd like to highlight;

' A current, eagerly adopted fashion; a fad or craze' 
 'A burning desire; a passion.'

There are many fashion trends being placed in the spotlight that once available, there's a little extra RAGE to be the first to rock it.  Whether you've noticed that jumpsuits are everywhere or that it's time for some 'Colour Blocking' on your feet, hands, face or wardrobe - they're all considered 'Must Haves' and we may feel the dire need to own them in order to fit the bill of a fashionista.

Have you ever wanted something so bad that you could envision yourself doing anything to get it?  Maybe it’s your dream job, home, car, relationship, a pair of shoes that you didn’t buy that are now haunting you in your sleep or working your butt off at the gym to kick those last 5 pounds to the curb... All you know is that, you want it so you’re going to do what you can to have it. That right there my friends, is what I consider desire at its core and passion. 

Most of us envision ourselves in such a way that shines through our overall look.  Just ask that brunette you know who'll never go blond again or ask your blond friend about the time she had dyed her hair dark and instantly regretted it.

Desires and passions are manifested when the beauty industry advertise their products and instill the want to mimic their image. We all have a specific image for ourselves, and do our best to flip that image into reality. I see no harm in wanting to unleash your inner diva, to look and feel your personal best!

This is why I chose the word Rage.  I ignore the negative feelings associated with it and emphasize the positive! 

Visit my website at www.ragedesignsbygina.com to learn why I feel that Rage is an important part of both you and I in the 'About Us' section.

Spring & Summer Style Trends for Women, What's Hot Right Now for 2011?

Are any of you wondering what to do with your hair this summer?  There's actually quite a few fun hairstyles you can experiment with. Todays blog is dedicated to trends and examples on how you can have some summer fun with your style.  There are of course timeless pieces that you will see repeated yearly.

Let's start off with my least favorite trend, which we'll call 'The Slickster'.  To the left, you'll see the super attractive Megan Fox flaunting 'The Slickster'.  This style includes having your hair look very sleek and shiny.  You can combine this look with a ponytail or bun as well.  It does kind of remind me of a 'just got out of the shower' look with a greasy twist to it.  She definitely can pull it off but I can't imagine walking around on a average day or even going to work sporting this style.

Now let us take a look at the 'Extreme Side Part'.  Milla Jovovich, to your right, looks very classy and chic in this style.  The 'Extreme Side Part' can be worn everyday, parties, functions, well you know where I'm going with this. 

My recommendation with wearing this style is for an everyday look you may want to tone down the prettiness of Milla's.  Her look would of course look great at a function and party but maybe do more of a casual not so made up type of style, like Erin Wasson, seen to the left.

One of my absolute favorites this season, is 'The Natural Wave' look.  It looks gorgeous and exactly like its name, it looks natural.  It can also have somewhat of a messy look to it but it still is a head turner. 

Heidi Klum, to the left, looks so comfortable, natural and beautiful in these untamed waves.  It looks effortless and perfect.  It's looks as though you were on the beach and you let the sun and wind dry your hair.  AMAZING!  If you're looking to try 'The Natural Wave', experiment with what works best for your hair. Try letting your hair air dry with a light holding styling product added or even taking a shower at night, applying some light styling product and sleeping with your hair in a bun.  Then in the morning take the bun out, let it air dry or even use a diffuser with your blow dryer.  Try not to overkill it with heat from the blow dryer.  What works for me might not work for you so try playing around with your hair and you'll soon find what works best.

Are you looking to spice up your regular styling regime?  Maybe your want a new fresh look and are not willing to cut your hair?  How about trying a 'Messy Up-do' or 'High & Low Buns'? 

These styles look great both dressed up and dressed down.  It looks cool, casual, sexy, chic and trendy with minimal effort.  Bobby pins might be your best friend here but it's worth trying out.  These styles can be created in minutes when you're looking for something quick and fun.  Some perfect examples of 'High and Low Buns'  are below.  They are a lot more cleaner looking then the 'Messy Up-do' above but always remember you can even combine both styles and make it your own.

Who doesn't love throwing their hair in a 'Ponytail' when your on the go. Maybe your heading to the gym, running an errand to the grocery store or having a night out and don't have enough time to 'flat iron' your hair. A ‘Ponytail’ looks great high, low or at a medium level and remember to cover your hair tie with some of your hair twisted around it. It always looks neater with your hair tie being hidden. You can also combine the ‘Ponytail’ with ‘Braided Locks’. Braids are everywhere and if you haven’t already experimented with them, there’s no time like the present. If you’re not sure how to braid and are looking for techniques, you can Google it and YouTube it. There are many resources available to you at your finger tips.

                                                                                                                                               

The final trend for summer 2011 is the ‘Dipped Dye’ also known as Ombre Highlights. They look great and the good news about them is that they’re also low maintenance. If your use too highlighting every month or 6 weeks, the ‘Dipped Dye’ can be applied 3-4 times a year. They look great with any hair colour and give your hair a fun, relaxed yet attractive look, like our celebrities on the right, minus Drew Barrymore. You can also go extreme, like Nicki Minaj and Drew Barrymore and have your 'Dipped Dye' scream for attention. 

Remember you can combine styles, make it your own and have fun with it!

Oh hello first entry!

Welcome to my page!!!  I'm pretty excited about starting to blog and I hope you are too about reading my fun and random posts.  This blog is dedicated to you and that feel good feeling you get when you know you're looking your best!

Let me start off by telling you a little about where my head is at and by saying that I'm an all around creative person and I love creating.  Whether I'm painting, styling someones hair, applying makeup to clients or myself, taking a picture or even when I'm creating an outfit to wear for the day, I absolutely love love love (yes I wrote it 3 times on purpose) feeling free to create art work with no boundaries. 

Being a hairstylist and make-up artist has and is an amazing journey for me, it really completes me (OK I know that sounded cheesy, but its honest).  I can't even describe the feeling I get when I work with a client and we design a vision that comes to life with their finished look and they are practically in tears with excitement when they look in the mirror and see the end result.  It's amazing to see how happy a client gets and this is why I'm in that field.  Why wouldn't I want to bring that happy feeling to someone and have them walk around feeling good about themselves.  It's actually quite adorable too see that extra strut in their walk when I'm finished with them.

We all know that being a stylist isn't always fun lol.  Yes we stand on our feet a lot, yes we get those not so happy and nice clients and yes sometimes fussy hair just doesn't want to budge.  But at the end of the day,  we've poured our hearts into you and do whatever we can to create that image you picture (even when it's unreasonable hehe).  And surprise surprise, we're humans too with a slight hint of a magicians power. 

With all that being said, I wanted to create something that doesn't have that label of just hairstyling and just applying make-up.  We all know that yes that is exactly what it sorta is but my vision is more of a design and a overall styling package.  I'm creating and designing something specially tailored to you.  This is your style. 

This is my website if you want to have a peek, www.ragedesignsbygina.com.

I finally finished updating my website and hope you all enjoy it as much as I do.  I'm pretty impressed with my skills since I did the site on my own lol and didn't know a thing about website design.  But of course my creative juices came pouring out once I started.

Thank you for visiting and I shall be posting more tomorrow!!!

Gina xoxo